Service Update Report
Renfrewshire Council · 20 March 2024
Back to Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board — 20 March 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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_________________________________________________________________________ To: Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board On: 20 March 2024 _________________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure _________________________________________________________________________ Heading: Service Update Report _________________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report provides an overview of key service activities since the last Policy Board report on 24 January 2024 and an update on the services and key projects delivered during this period. 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board: 2.1 Approves the content of this report. 3. Background 3.1 Environment, Housing & Infrastructure provides essential services to every household in Renfrewshire and works in partnership with the local community, other service areas and Community Planning Partners, to deliver key Council priorities and initiatives. A progress update on the main activities delivered by the services in respect of the areas of activity delegated to this Policy Board, is detailed below. Updates for Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board 4. Climate Change 4.1 Energy Management ECO4 Flex 4.1.1 ECO4 Flex will allow the Council to approve funding to Renfrewshire’s private sector, fuel poor households that do not meet criteria for other schemes, as well as low- income households that are vulnerable to the effects of the cold. The scheme is part of the UK Government Energy Company Obligation and is managed by Ofgem.
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4.1.2 The qualifying criteria for ECO-Flex, as set by Ofgem, is published on our website in a document called a Statement of Intent. Renfrewshire’s Statement of Intent can be found here: https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/media/15354/ECO4-flex-statement-of- intent/pdf/Renfrewshire_Council_Statement_of_Intent_for_ECO4_flex.pdf?m=167568 7584337ECO-flex. ECO-flex, does not apply to Council Housing or Registered Social Landlords. 4.1.3 The energy efficiency measures being installed within Renfrewshire include: boilers, loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, air source heat pumps, solar panels, heating controls, first time central heating etc. The table below highlights the savings ECO4 Flex has achieved to date based on annually recurring savings: Financial Year Value of Grant Funding Requested (£) Total Annual CO2 Saving in Kg Total Annual Cost Saving (£) 2023/24 £2,811,545 565,600 £181,870 4.2 Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) 4.2.1 Renfrewshire Council’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy was approved at this Board in January 2024. The Energy Team are currently working on the delivery model as part of phase 2 of the project. 4.2.2 Renfrewshire have been successful in obtaining funding for 5 feasibility studies to look at the potential for proposed heat networks. The areas of focus are Foxbar, Johnstone, Paisley West, Paisley East and the potential to extend the existing Energy Centre at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS). This takes the funding for District Heating feasibilities up to £250,000 through Zero Waste Scotland. 4.3 Winter Resilience Update 4.3.1 To the middle of March 2024, the Winter Maintenance programme has used a cumulative total of over 4,606 tonnes of salt gritting Renfrewshire roads, although the winter season has some time to go, this volume alludes to an average winter period. The service has continued to grit our primary and secondary network routes during this period. Grit bin stocks continue to be replenished as and when required. 4.3.2 Since 1 April 2023 to 5 March 2024, the service attended to 37,480 gullies with 85% of these cleaned on the first visit. This figure significantly improves upon previous years performance. Processes are in place where arrangements are made to re-visit those gullies that could not be accessed due to parked cars or where gullies require further investigation. 4.3.3 During the winter period, the service responded to a number of severe weather events which required the Roads and Neighbourhood Services teams to work together on a 24/7 basis to support communities during periods of severe weather.
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5. Team Up to Clean Up 5.1.1 Team Up to Clean Up partners SEPA, Zero Waste Scotland and Keep Scotland Beautiful are delivering 5 events across Scotland to gather the views of communities in accordance with the new Scottish Litter & Flytipping Strategy. Renfrewshire House hosted the Renfrewshire Community Litter Workshop on 21 February. The event proved very popular, providing attendees an opportunity to share ideas, learn about behaviours and attitudes and what they can do to help. 5.1.2 Zero Waste Scotland has partnered with University College London Centre for Behaviour Change to investigate the complex causes of littering and flytipping behaviours. Renfrewshire responded to the survey issued which aims to generate a new approach to preventing items becoming litter/flytipping, and tackle behaviours through effective intervention. 5.1.3 The Big Spring Clean was launched on 1 March and is operating across March and April. Schools are registering their ongoing interest in delivering local litterpicks and/or receiving a school presentation. The Team is further working with local retail parks to encourage take up there, presenting a more attractive area for customers, so far Linwood fast food retailers have agreed to join the event. 5.1.4 Three further Wildflower Workshops will be delivered over the course of the Big Spring Clean, one in Elderslie, hosted by Evergreen Elderslie, one in Paisley at the West End Growing Ground Association (WEGGA) Sanctuary Gardens, and the final workshop in Renfrew at Broadloan, hosted by Renfrew Association of Growing Grounds (RAGG). Groups and individuals will be treated to a workshop then attend an onsite area for a demonstration. 5.2 Environmental Taskforce 5.2.1 The Environmental Taskforce continues to deliver intervention to reduce instances of flytipping. Key statistics for the most recent period are: Action 2023 total 1 Jan – 29 Feb Proactive visits to identified hotspot areas 2,258 506 Number of reports investigated 1,321 378 Tonnes of flytipping removed 436 48 tonnes Number of sites secured to prevent further flytipping 11 1 Letters to private landowners re flytipping 85 7 Visits to businesses to ensure Waste Disposal Arrangements in place 126 17 Fixed Penalty Notices Issued 93 11
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5.2.2 Using captured footage, the first £500 Fixed Penalty Notice was issued in January to a company, based out with the Authority, who flytipped in Paisley. 6. Fleet, Roads and Transportation 6.1 Fleet Services 6.1.1 As part of the Capital Vehicle replacement programme Roads services have procured a Multihog MH75 & Planer. This is an additional vehicle to the service that will perform a range of municipal duties including highways and winter maintenance. This vehicle is a common tool carrier for pothole, patching and pre surfacing patching applications. This machine maximises productivity, efficiency, and safety to reduce costs whilst improving permanent repair outputs. The service has also procured an additional roads gully vehicle, a highly developed, multifunction machine ideal for working on mainline sewers, gullies, and drains. Elsewhere in the Council there have been three electric vehicles ordered, bespoke vehicles for the Dog Wardens service, Community Meals services these will be delivered and added to operations in the next few weeks. 6.1.2 The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency have recently carried out an in-depth desktop audit of the Councils fleet operations. This is the first audit the Council has had for many years. Local Authorities across Scotland are being audited at this current time. These audits are complex and include Vehicle Maintenance, Drivers Hours, Policies & Procedures and Operating Centres. The report concluded a “satisfactory” result with some minor opportunities for improvement, with no need for an onsite audit and inspection. This is a positive outcome for the Council and in particular the Fleet Management Compliance Team and the operational services that utilise heavy fleet. The risk rating on the Councils Risk register for Fleet Compliance and operator licence will be reviewed and lowered as a result of this outcome. 6.2 Roads & Transportation 6.2.1 Roads Capital Investment Programme 6.2.2 The service has concluded the roads and footway resurfacing programme for 2023/24. 6.2.3 The service is currently finalising the capital investment programme for 2024/2025, this revised programme will take cognisance of the capital budget taking the total Capital Investment to £5million in 2024/25, in addition to money carried over from 2023/24 where some schemes were delayed into 2024/25. 6.2.4 Recent Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) data has shown that there have been improvements in Renfrewshire’s roads across every road category in recent years and significantly better than the Scottish average, with road condition sitting in the top quartile for its condition in 3 of the 4 categories, as summarised below: • A class roads – The percentage of roads requiring maintenance is 15.5% (2018 figure was 23.8%), against a Scottish average of 27.2% • B class roads - The percentage of roads requiring maintenance is 19.2% (2018 figure was 26%), against a Scottish average of 31.5% , • C class roads - The percentage of roads requiring maintenance is 27% (2018 figure was 37.5%), against a Scottish average of 32.7, and
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• Unclassified roads - The percentage of roads requiring maintenance is 30.1% (2018 figure was 35.1%),against a Scottish average of 36.4%, 6.2.5 In addition to the capital investment programme the service continues to perform to a high standard in relation to reactive roads maintenance, with the pothole performance of the year being 96% of potholes being responded to within the time period specified by their classification. During the winter period, the service expects to receive a higher than average number of potholes and where necessary due to traffic sensitive locations or emergencies will carry out a temporary repair. This temporary repair is then scheduled for a permanent repair to allow planning for appropriate traffic management arrangements. 6.3 Active Travel & Infrastructure Improvement Update 6.3.1 The next phase of the Paisley to Renfrew active travel route including upgraded shared footways with new lighting columns at Wright Street from the new housing development to business units towards White Cart Water will start in May. Pedestrian crossings at Gilmour Street and Niddry Street to Toucan crossings will commence in April 2024. 6.3.2 An application for a new active travel route around Inchinnan Business Park has been submitted to Active Travel Infrastructure Fund in February 2024. This £1.1 Million project, if approved, will link with the segregated shared active travel route on Barnsford Road to Inchinnan Drive due for completion in May 2024 and the existing active travel route at Inchinnan Road. This is an important element in the Council’s active travel network and will connect to existing routes around Glasgow Airport. In addition, City Deal Teams re-applied for AIMDS South Gallowhill link to existing Paisley to Renfrew active travel route. 6.3.3 Transport Scotland’s Bus Partnership Fund has been removed in 2024/2025 with no guarantees that this will be re-instated in future years. This means planned improvements at two Paisley town centre junctions (Glasgow Road, Mill Street, Gauze Street and Incle Street; and Gauze Street, Cotton Street and Lawn Street) will not be progressed. We would like to thank everyone who took the time to provide feedback and share their views during the stakeholder engagement period. Our transportation team is considering the specific feedback in detail in case there are any future improvements which can be brought forward for detailed consideration and engagement as part of our wider strategic transport and travel planning. This does not impact on work to upgrade the traffic signals introducing bus prioritisation technology on Glasgow Road at the junctions with Lacy Street, Penilee Road and Hawkhead Road. This work is fully funded through the Bus Partnership and is currently underway, being completed by Spring 2024. 6.3.4 SPT Capital Programme in 2024/2025 has been reduced to zero from the annual £1.2 Million capital funding provided for New Pedestrian Crossings, traffic signal upgrades, bus boarder kerb installations. Officers are currently reviewing what options exist in order to deliver some of these areas during 2024/25. 6.3.5 Construction of a replacement Plymuir Bridge in Gleniffer Braes Paisley was completed on 8th March 2024. This brings the last council-owned bridge up to national requirement of being able to carry 40 tonnes. 6.3.6 The construction phase for a bus turning circle at Linburn Road in Erskine started in February 2024. The initial phase of public utility diversionary works include working with BT Openreach, Virgin Media and SGN then requires tying into the Contractors submitted schedule. The recent announcement that the SPT Capital Programme in 2024/2025 has been reduced to zero has placed the continued construction phase at
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risk. Officers are working with SPT to determine what funding options exist to deliver this project during 2024/25. 6.3.7 Consultants continue to analyse data from survey locations that may be suitable for exemption from the Pavement Parking Ban. The exemption traffic regulation order will then be prepared for consultation. Elected Members, emergency services and community councils will be consulted in the first stage of the consultation process before the second stage wider public consultation. Objections permitting, the ban will become enforceable in November 2024. 7. Neighbourhood Services (formerly Streetscene Services) 7.1 Play Parks/ Parks 7.1.1 Refurbishment of Howwood Park Toddler / Junior, Houston Public Park and Inchinnan Playing Field play areas is now complete. 7.1.2 Installation of the next 6 play areas to be renewed through Capital and Scottish Government grant will commence from mid-March. These are Miller Street, Johnstone; Anne Avenue, Renfrew; Netherhill Road, Paisley; Victory Gardens, Renfrew, Tannahill Crescent, Johnstone and Urquhart Crescent, Renfrew. 7.1.3 The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) funded project to upgrade the tennis courts at 3 locations in Renfrewshire, is nearing completion. The sites are Brodie Park, Paisley, Robertson Park, Renfrew and Park Road, Johnstone. Courts at all 3 locations will be painted at the earliest opportunity from early April, however, the weather needs to be mild and dry to allow completion. 7.2 Grass Cutting 7.2.1 The recruitment of the seasonal workforce for the grass season is complete, cutting will commence at the beginning of April, with preparatory works starting mid-March, these will include strimming, edging, tidying any grassed areas before cutting and training and induction for the workforce. 7.3 Clyde Muirshiel 7.3.1 Regional Park staff deliver many recreational, conservation and health and welling services to benefit the environment, visitors, and locals alike. 7.3.2 Winter maintenance activities are nearing completion, public consultation for Parkhill Wood on the next Woods In and Around Town (WIAT) application is progressing. 7.3.3 ‘Dark Sky’ evenings, hosted with Coats Observatory staff at either Castle Semple or Clyde Muirshiel Country Park have been very popular, selling out within 24 hrs of being advertised. 7.3.4 With Easter being early in 2024, summer opening hours for retail and catering activities begin at both Country Parks on Fri 29 March. The Outdoor Activities team are already busy with primarily school bookings. 7.4 Monuments, Statues & Memorials 7.4.1 Neighbourhood Services have commissioned a conservation specialist to survey and provide condition reports for 14 key monuments and memorials in Renfrewshire. We have prioritised the war memorials due to more than one of them being in their centenary year. The Paisley Cenotaph was surveyed on 23rd February and a
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comprehensive condition report was produced, the Johnstone War Memorial in Houston Square was given a specialist wash last month and is also on the list to be surveyed as it approaches its centenary in May this year. The John Forbes Orr and Robert Allan Drinking Fountain are also due to be surveyed as part of initial surveys. 8. Recycling Performance and Waste Collection 8.1 The Scottish Government has set the ambitious targets to recycle 70% of all waste, with a maximum of 5% going to landfill by 2025. 8.2 Waste policy continues to evolve with a national route map being developed identifying major policy interventions which drive forward zero waste and deliver a circular economy. 8.3 Locally, we are working towards Renfrewshire being net zero by 2030 and part of this will be achieved through a zero-waste society, maximising reuse, recycling and recovery of resources. 8.4 Our recycling rate in Renfrewshire continues to improve, and is just under 54%, placing us in the top eight councils in Scotland, while in 2022, 2.3% of waste was landfilled. Our ability to reduce the amount being landfilled results from investment in an energy-to-waste facility. 8.5 A recent waste composition analysis of grey bin waste in Renfrewshire carried out by Zero Waste Scotland over 2022 to 2023 found 61% of material should have been recycled or disposed of elsewhere. Of this, 33% was food waste, 15% plastic, cans, and glass, 6% paper and card, 6% should have been disposed of at a Household Waste Recycling Centre and 1% was garden waste. 8.6 Analysis of food waste in Renfrewshire found just 19% is being recycled in the correct bin, with 74% being put in the grey general waste bin and 7% in the wrong recycling bin. 8.7 Our waste team has applied for capital funding from the Scottish Government Recycling Improvement Fund which is managed by Zero Waste Scotland. 8.8 This is to fund a package of measures which will enable us to greatly improve our recycling performance in Renfrewshire and address local challenges including the need for better recycling infrastructure at flats and high-rise properties and extending the full range of recycling facilities to all Renfrewshire homes. It will also include the procurement of a route optimisation and collection management system to improve the consistency, reliability and overall quality of the household waste collection service, while maximising operational efficiency. This will be beneficial when scheduling collections by reducing the number of miles covered while collecting these waste streams, having a positive impact through lower carbon emissions and reduced operating costs. 8.9 We expect to hear the outcome of this funding bid in May and will bring back a detailed report to a future board for consideration. 8.10 Separate to the Recycling Improvement Fund bid, a review of our waste collection arrangements has identified opportunities to simplify the process, support greater participation in recycling, tackle contamination of waste and reduce the carbon emissions from our waste collection vehicles.
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8.11 Currently we collect different colour waste and recycling bins on the same day across multiple routes. 8.12 A project is being developed whereby all households would have the same recycling bin collected on the same day, following the pattern: Week 1 - Blue bin Week 2 - Brown bin Week 3 – Green bin Week 4 – Brown bin 8.13 The grey general waste bin would be moved to a separate collection day, with the collection frequencies of each bin remaining the same. 8.14 The service is looking to introduce this approach as part of an initial first phase to households who currently have a Saturday bin collection. 8.15 During this phase, recycling bins would continue to be collected on a Saturday and general waste bins would be collected on a Wednesday. 8.16 Specific details and timings of the initial phase are currently being developed and further information will come forward as to implementation. Householders who require assisted collections or additional collections will continue to receive this. 8.17 Outcomes will be reported to the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board informing consideration of its potential wider rollout. 9. #YouDecide 9.1 Seventeen #YouDecide projects are now complete. Most recently a new path to allow accessible provision to Helicopter Park, Houston and an upgrade to the path running through Station Road Park, Langbank. A programme of 14 lighting projects will commence from March 2024 onwards along with the 4 play area upgrades and 3 outdoor gyms. Work has started on visualisation concepts for improvements to roundabouts at the entrances to Bishopton, Kilbarchan and Renfrew. These should be ready for public consultation between March and May 2024. 9.2 Design work has started on the wheeled sports areas for Kintyre Park, Linwood and Moss Road Park, Bridge of Weir. Speed signs will be installed at Main Road Elderslie and Bridge of Weir Road Brookfield by the end of May 2024. Dialogue regarding seating improvements for Renfrew Town Centre is ongoing with Community Council and installation is anticipated for summer 2024. Work to improve paths and signage in Gleniffer country park is in progress as is information and interpretation boards for the villages of Inchinnan and Kilbarchan. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – Any financial elements referenced in this report will be progressed through the Council’s financial & budget planning process. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None.
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3. Community/Council Planning – The report details a range of activities which reflect local community and council planning themes. 4. Legal – None 5. Property/Assets – None 6. Information Technology –None 7. Equality & Human Rights - The recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None 9. Procurement – None 10. Risk – None 11. Privacy Impact – None 12. COSLA Policy Position – None 13. Climate Change – there are a range of actions and activities throughout the Service Update Report which support the Council’s Plan for Net Zero. __________________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers: None Author: Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment, Housing & Infrastructure